Jacqueline Ames
Red is a statement color. And when you walk into a room wearing a red dress, you are going to be noticed. It’s not a color for those who do not like attention.
So if all eyes are on you, your shoes had better go with the dress because if they don’t, that too, will not go unnoticed.
There are different shades and tones of red. There are certain colors that will go with all red dresses, regardless of the red. And then there are those colors that need to match the tone of the dress, otherwise, they’ll clash.
So then, what color shoes go with a red dress? In this article, we are going to go over our 8 favorite shoe colors to pair with a red dress and show you which color shoes are best suited to which reds.
Contents
Warm Red – Cool Red. What’s the Difference?
A warm red is a red that has more yellow and orange. A cool red is a red that has more blue and purple.
Think of it in terms of poppy red vs. cranberry red. Poppy is a bright, saturated, true red that has yellow undertones. Cranberry, on the other hand, is a cool red with blue undertones.
Why does this matter?
It’s because if you are looking to match certain colors with red, you need to match the warm tones of that color with warm reds and cool tones of that color with cool reds, otherwise your whole outfit is going to be a dumpster fire of epic proportions!
A warm red is a red that has more yellow and orange. A cool red is a red that has more blue and purple.
If you’ve got a burgundy dress, see our article here on pairing shoes with it!
What Color Shoes Go With a Red Dress?
Once you’ve got a good sense of the color tone of your dress, it’s time to find the shoes that will work with that dress tone.
1. Black
If you’ve read any of our articles about what shoes to wear with different color dresses (for example, gold, navy, grey), black always makes the list.
Black literally goes with everything.
A black shoe with any color dress works, and that of course goes for a red dress as well. The great thing about black is that it’s actually a neutral color. This means it will go with every color of red, whether it be a warm red or a cool red.
2. Black and White
Though we’re not huge fans of white shoes with a red dress, black and white shoes with a red dress, on the other hand, are stellar. Whether you go for a sleek ombre pump, retro polka dots, or chic and refined color blocks, a black and white shoe wins out over solid white every day of the week in our books.
3. Black With Metal Embellishments
Black shoes with any type of metal embellishment (whether it be gold or silver), looks super fab with a red dress. If you love this look as much as we do and are wondering whether you should go with black and silver or black and gold, it will depend on what color red your dress is.
If it’s a warm red, gold will look better. Likewise, if it’s a cooler red with a more of a blue base, silver should be your go-to.
4. Red
Often when it comes to the “which shoes can I wear with this color dress?” dilemma, you can often just match the shoes to the dress.
But can you wear red shoes with a red dress?
Yes you can. Though it can look a bit matchy-matchy and just a little too much red if your shoes are too chunky. If you are going to match your shoes to the dress, stick with a minimal shoe with thin straps.
Red shoes with a red dress are often best suited for more formal celebratory occasions, like red carpet events, grand opening parties, and fancy nights out.
5. Green
Green? Now although this may seem like an odd pick, green is actually a natural choice as its red’s complementary color.
If you are going to match green shoes with a red dress, you need to make sure that you choose a warm green for a warm red dress, and a cool green for a cool red dress.
The goal is cute and complementary, not Ugly Christmas Sweater.
6. Gold
Gold is a warm color. Like we talked about before when pairing a black and gold or black and silver, just follow the warm with warm and cool with cool guidelines.
If your dress is a warm red, go for gold.
7. Silver
Silver is a cool color. If your dress is a cool red with a blue undertone that veers more toward raspberry than tomato, go for silver, rather than gold.
8. Nude
Nude shoes are neutral and go with pretty much everything, including red dresses. A nude shoe is meant to hang back and let your dress do the talking. And because nudes are neutral, they can go with both warm and cool reds.
Just a note on nude shoes… Shoe manufacturers tend to name their ‘nude’ shoe colors according to lighter skin. So if you are looking for ‘nude shoes’ online for example, you will get a bunch of light, beige-ish pink shoes.
That’s all fine and well if you have light skin.
A nude shoe is any shoe in a color that is close to your skin tone. So it doesn’t matter what the shoe color is called, whether it be nude, camel, taupe, brown or tan. When looking for a ‘nude’ shoe, choose a color that is close to your skin tone.
A nude shoe is any shoe in a color that is close to your skin tone. So it doesn’t matter what the shoe color is called, whether it be nude, camel, taupe, brown or tan. When looking for a ‘nude’ shoe, choose a color that is close to your skin tone.
9. Animal Print
How can we not have animal print on our list? Red is a sexy color and it pairs super well with animal print (in small doses).
And animal print shoes are just the right amount of fierce to pair with your red dress. This style can go wrong, but if you can find the right complementary animal print shoe and red dress, the combo can be amazing.
What Color Nails and Makeup Go With A Red Dress?
Glad you asked!
As tricky as it can be to match shoes with a red dress, it can be equally tricky to match nails and makeup with a red dress. So we’ve written articles on what color nails go with a red dress and what eyeshadow to use with a red dress.
Be sure to check them out!
